The invention relates to a support device for a computer mouse, a so-called mouse pad, comprising a lower foil made of foam material onto which a carrier layer has been laminated and including, disposed above the carrier layer, a transparent upper foil which is welded continuously along the edge to the carrier layer and the lower foil. According to one embodiment, a liquid is situated between the carrier layer and the top foil, which liquid does not completely fill the available space.
Such support devices are used for the convenient actuation of the computer mouse. The mouse or the mouse device is moved to and fro by the user on the support device, causing the ball of the mouse to roll over the upper foil. The lower foil of foam material holds the support device on the working surface, causes the ball to roll smoothly and damps the vibrations which arise during the actuation of the keys of the mouse.
The support devices are frequently provided with pictorial and/or written illustrations in order to enhance their appearance or to make them serve as an advertising means.
From EP 0 328 225 A1 a mouse pad is known which is provided with an electrostatically non-charging upper layer, a deformation-resistant layer situated below the upper layer, and a lower slip-resistant layer. Such an arrangement of the mouse pad is to reduce both its electrostatic charging as well as the occurring deformations, and in addition decrease its production costs. An optically appealing design of this mouse pad is not the subject matter of this specification.
Moreover, in GE-PS 1 046 725 a finger painting device is described which is provided with a carrier layer and a transparent top foil which is welded together with the carrier layer. A colored liquid is provided between the carrier layer and the top foil which can be displaced by pressure on the top foil in the pressure zone and patterns and figures can be produced in such a way. The use of such a toy as a pad for a computer mouse is not possible without additional measures because the maintenance of technical and functional features such as the formation of a continuous rolling surface for the ball of the mouse is not ensured, for example.